I’m going to say it right up front, of all of the shows I’ve seen so far at the Hollywood Fringe Festival Elephant Stages this year, King Phycusis the cream of the crop!

A theatrical parody of monumental proportions, the Flynnsmen (troupe) take all the plots of Hamlet, Romeo and Juliet, Caesar, MacBeth, and Richard III (I even heard a little bit of Lear) combined in a whirlwind of iambic pentameter to create the zaniest, most well written, outrageous, camp comedies that would make the Bard himself green with envy.

Jason Thomas and Abby Wilde in King Phycus

It is brilliantly written by Tom Willmorth and hilariously performed by one of the most dedicated and hard working casts, right down to timing and delivery, that I’ve witnessed to date: Patrick Wenk-Wolff, Jason Thomas, Drew Doyle, Abby Wilde, Belen Greene and Buck Zachary. Directed by John Apicella and assisted by Stage Manager extraordinaire, Deirdre Murphy.

I’m giving this show a 10 and two thumbs up. Finally, a performance that got me out of my funk and MADE ME PAY ATTENTION! with not only well crafted humor but extraordinary storytelling amidst classical language, jokes, forth wall breaks, gags and physical drollery. Nothing, not one piece of any of Shakespeare’s stories or characters gets lost. Everyone is instantly and fully recognizable and the threading of each of the stories is so seamlessly done, if I knew nothing about a Shakespeare play, I’d think I was watching one of his originals verbatim. It’s that good!